Retractible chair coupler



June 25, 1963 J. H. DESNOYERS ETAL RETRACTIBLE CHAIR COUPLER Filed April 10, 1962 5 mg H Z w 45 3 M United States Patent Ofifice 3,95,Z37 Patented June 25, 1963 3,695,237 RETRAQTELE CHAIR Joseph H. Desnoyers, 25685 Eerg Road, and Edmond Robert, 21899 8% Mile Road, both of Southiieid, Mich. Fiied Apr. 1%), 1962, Ser. No. 186,505 3 Claims. (i1. 297-243) This invention relates to a coupling device for interconnecting ohairs or similar furniture into rows and is particularly designed for the purpose of temporarily connecting a plurality of folding chairs to one another so that the interconnected chairs may be maintained in an orderly row arrangement.

In the utilization of folding chairs, it is often desirable to align the chairs side-by-side in temporary rows. Maintaining the adjacent chairs in alignment as persons enter and exit from the rows is a dilficult problem and various methods and devices have been employed. :It is essential, that the device for interconnecting and aligning the adjacent chairs be rugged, simple, low cost, easily attached to and detached from an adjacent chair, self-storing, and free of detachable nuts or bolts that might get lost between times of use. The need for a chair interconnector of the described type has been accentuated by the passage of laws, ordinances and the like in a number of municipalities requiring such a device wherever individual chairs are used in large numbers in any sort of public assembly room, school, church, theatre, arena, or the like.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a chair interconnector that will maintain adjacent chairs in aligned arrangement and permit the ready assembly of a plurality of such chairs into aligned temporary rows.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a chair coupling device that is formed of simple, rugged, economical elements arranged in such a manner that they may be quickly and easily installed on practically any folding or assembly-room individual chair.

it is a further object of this invention to provide a chair coupling device that will maintain interconnected chairs in alignment while permitting some limited variation in the spacing of the interconnected chairs.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a chair coupling device that may be readily installed beneath the seat of a chair in such a manner that it is selfstoring and concealed when not in use, but which can be quickly ejected from beneath the chair seat and interconnected with a mating keeper bracket located beneath an adjacent chair seat.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a chair interconnector or coupling device that is particularly adapted for addition to the underside of the seat portion of a folding chair and arranged for quick connection with a keeper bracket located on the underside of an adjacent folding chair wherein the interconnector parts do not interfere in any way with the folding and unfolding movements of the chairs when they are disconnected from one another.

It is still another object to provide a chair coupling device for maintaining adjacent chairs in aligned arrangement wherein a novel and simplified spring latching means is utilized to accomplish a plurality of different functions.

ther objects and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent from a reading of the following description and a consideration of the several figures of the associated drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a group of folding chairs connected together in aligned formation by the coupling means embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional elevational view taken along the line of and in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view taken along the line of and in the direction of the arrows 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevational view taken along the line of and in the direction of the arrows 4-t of FIG. 1, this view showing the self-storing feature of this chair coupler;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view taken along the line of and in the direction of the arrows 5- 5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of a modified form of this invention wherein an angle iron support piece is used to mount the chair coupling in certain types of chairs; and

FIG. 7 is another modified form of this invention wherein the parts have been reduced to the simplest form and the minimum number.

FIG. 1 of the drawings shows a plurality of individual folding metal chairs 10, 1d and, 12 having seat portions 13, 14 and :15 respectively. The seat portions are provided with box-like peripheral sub-frame portions 16, 17 and 18 respectively, as clearly show in FIGS. 2 and 4. Bolted, or otherwise rigidly connected to the sub-frame of each chair seat portion, is an interconnector or coupling device that consists of a slidable latch bar assembly 20 mounted beneath one side edge portion of each chair seat portion and a keeper bracket 21 mounted beneath the opposite side edge portion of each chair seat portion. The latch bar assembly .29 on one chair is adapted to be detachably connected to the keeper bracket 21 on the adjacent chair so as to interconnect adjacent chairs in aligned arrangement.

Each latch bar assembly 20 comprises a two-piece channel-like, mounting bracket formed from a substantially U-shaped bracket strap 23 that has a fiat top strap piece 24 connected across the mouth of bracket strap 23 by means of the bolt or screw connectors 25. The bolts 25 also mount the bracket members 23, 24 on the lower faces 26 of the seat portion sub-frames 16, .17 and 18. Slidably mounted in the channel 27 formed by the bracket pieces 23, 24 is the latch bar member 28. From FIG. 3 it is clear that the latch bar 28 is of substantially inverted U-shaped, cross sectional configuration having a pair of transversely spaced, longitudinally extending, rib formations 31, 32 projecting from the bar base portion. The ribs 3-1, 32 slidably move along the inner side of the bracket piece 24 with a minimum of friction due to the line contact therebetween. Likewise, the downwardly directed side legs of the latch bar 28 have sliding line contact with the bracket piece 23 as shown at 33.

One end of the latch bar 28 has a finger portion 34 turned downwardly to provide a stop means that engages the bracket piece 23 and prevents detachment of the bar 28 from the bracket piece 23 on movement of the bar 28 in one longitudinal direction. form of a strap spring 41 is mounted on the other end of A resilient stop means in the mahr-ta- 7 bar 28 to prevent accidental detachment of the bar 28 from the associated keeper bracket 21 that is mounted on the adjacent chair seat portion. The strap spring 41 is a dual function element and has several advantages over devices of this general type that are known to the art. It will be noted that the spring 41 is connected to the latch bar 28 by a rivet or similar type connector 42. The inner end of the strap spring 41 has a turned up end portion 43 that seats in a slot '44 in the bar 28. This rivet and slot mounting of the strap spring 41 on the bar 28 is an economical way to mount the spring on the bar 28 to prevent rotation therebetween. Spring strap 41 has raised tab portions 45 lanced therefrom that provides a spring latch member for detachably anchoring the latch bar 28 to the keeper bracket 21. It will be noted that the tab portion 45 provides a cantilever type spring arm that is spaced inwardly from the outer end of the spring 41 a distance slightly greater than the width of the keeper bracket 21 or the mounting bracket piece 23. The outer end of the strap spring 41 is turned down as shown at 46. Turned down end 46 provides a stop means to limit inward movement of the latch bar (see FIG. 4) for nnderseat storing of the bar. The end flange 46 also provides a part of the means for connecting the latch bar 28 to the keeper bracket 21 (see FIG. 2).

From the foregoing description it is thought to be clear that the latch bar will normally be stored under the chair seat (see FIG. 4) and held in stored position by the spring tab 45Vand spring end 46 engaging opposite sides of the mounting bracket piece 23. When stored in such a position the bar 28 will not interfere in any way with the folding operation of the chair and the bar 28 and mounting bracket pieces 23, 24 will be substantially concealed from view if the chair is erected for occupant use. To interconnect two adjacent chairs such as chairs 10, 11 (see FIG. 2) it is merely necessary to eject the bar 28' from beneath the chair seat portion 14 of chair 11 by depressing the strap spring 41 towards the underside of seat portion 14 so that tab portion 45 of spring 41 will clear the mounting bracket piece 23. The latch bar 28 can then be ejected and its outer end portion 46 latched over the keeper bracket 21 on the adjacent chair 10. In ejected position the tab element 45 of spring 41 again cooperates with the spring end 46 to latchingly engage theopposite sides of the keeper bracket 21 so as to anchor the chair to the adjacent chair 11. An advantage of this particular chair interconnection is that when the two adjacent chairs are interconnected the spacing between the two chairs can be adjusted to approximately the length of the latch bar. This is very important as it permits the maximum utilization of the room space while permitting some adjustment for the comfort of the chair occupants depending on their size. To disconnect the two interconnected or coupled chairs it is a simple :fast process to merely reach under the edge 16 of chair 13 and depress the spring strap 41 so that its end 46 can be lifted up over this inner edge of keeper bracket 21 and the bar 28 pushed back under the seat portion 14 of chair 11. Because of the shape of the tab 45 it cams the spring 41 upwardly when the tab 45 engages the outer edge of mounting bracket piece 23 so that storing of the latch bar is a fast simple process. The tab 45 thereafter cooperates with mounting piece 23 to retain the latch bar in stored position beneath the seat portion 14.

FIG. 6 shows a modified form of this invention wherein a different type of seat1-14 having a flanged side edge 116 has the disclosed type of chair coupler connected to its underside by means of an angle-iron mounting bracket 117 that is connected to the inner side of seat flange 1-16 by screws 118. Bracket 117 carries a U-shaped keeper bracket 121 that functions as the aforedescribed bracket 21. Keeper bracket 121 is mounted on the angle-iron mounting bracket 117 by screws 122.

FIG. 7 shows another modified form of this invention wherein a latch bar 128 of simple channel shaped cross 4 sectional configuration is connected to a chair by a simple U-shaped type of mounting bracket 12?. Bracket 129 is mounted beneath the lower flange 130 of chair seat edge portion 131 by screws v132.. The same type of strap spring 41 can be used with latch bar 128 as has been described with regard to the other forms of this invention.

We claim:

1. A coupling device for interconnecting chairs and the like into rows, said device comprising a latch bar adapted to be slidably mounted beneath the side edge of a seat of one chair for limited projection outwardly beneath the contiguous side edge of an adjacent chair, a keeper means having a lower bar portion adapted to be mounted beneath the contiguous side edge of said adjacent chair seat and arranged for reception of the outwardly projecting end portion of said latch bar with said keeper lower bar portion arranged beneath said latch bar outer end portion, and a single spring latch carried by the outer end portion of said latch bar arranged to latchingly engage the latch bar with said keeper lower bar portion on said adjacent chair when said latch bar outer end is projected from benath said one chair and to latchingly anchor said latch bar beneath the seat of said one chair when said latch bar outer end is retracted beneath the seat of said one chair, said latch bar being formed with a downwardly formations at the outer end of said latch bar to limit relative sliding movement between the latch bar outer end to be slidably mounted beneath the side edge of a seat of one chair for limited projection outwardly beneath the contiguous side edge of an adjacent chair, a keeper means having a lower bar portion adapted to be mounted beneath the contiguous side edge of said adjacent chair seat and arranged for reception of the outwardly projecting end portion of said latch bar with said keeper lower bar portion arranged beneath said latch bar outer end portion, and a single spring latch carried by the outer end portion of said latch bar arranged to latchingly engage the latch bar with said keeper lower bar portion on said adjacent chair when said latch bar outer end is projected from beneath said one chair and to latchingly anchor said latch bar beneath the seat of said one chair when said latch bar outer end is retracted beneath the seat of said one chair,

, said latch bar being formed with downwardly extending stop means on its inner end portion to limit the outward projection of the latch bar while permitting slidable adjustment of the latch bar relative to said one chair seat to permit variation in the spacing of the adjacent chairs, said spring latch having a pair of longitudinally spaced apart, downwardly extending, keeper engaging formations at the outer end of said latch bar to limit relative sliding movement between the latch bar outer end and the keeper engaged therewith, said spaced apart keeper engaging formations on said spring latch also serving to engage portions of said one chair to anchor said latch bar beneath said one chair seat when the latch bar is retracted therebeneath.

3. A coupler device for coupling two adjacent chairs in side-by-side relationship comprising a U-shaped mounting bracket to be secured beneath the side edge of the chair seat of one chair, a latch bar slidably mounted in the channel-like opening of said U-shaped mounting bracket for limited projection therethrough, a U-shaped keeper bracket adapted to be secured beneath the contiguous side edge of the seat portion of the adjacent chair, a downwardly extending tab on the inner end portion of said latch bar engageable with the big-ht portion of said mounting bracket to limit outward projection of the outer end of said latch bar from beneath the seat of said one chair to a position beneath the seat of the adjacent chair where it is received in the U-shaped keeper bracket of said other chair, and a single spring latch carried by the outer end 5 of said latch bar having a pair of longitudinally spaced, downwardly extending, tab portions thereon engageable with opposite sides of the bight portion of said mounting bracket to anchor said latch bar in a retracted position beneath the seat of said one chair and to engage opposite sides of the bight portion of said adjacent chair keeper bracket on said adjacent chair when said latch bar is projected to anchor said latch bar to the adjacent chair, said latch bar being \slidably adjustable with respect to said one chair when it is latchingly engaged with the adjacent chair.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 942,085 Linder Dec. 7, 1909 10 2,601,926 Speaker et a1 July 1, 1952 3,019,851 Doss Feb. 6, 1962 3,027,194 Rumptz Mar. 27, 1962' 

1. A COUPLING DEVICE FOR INTERCONNECTING CHAIRS AND THE LIKE INTO ROWS, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A LATCH BAR ADAPTED TO BE SLIDABLY MOUNTED BENEATH THE SIDE EDGE OF A SEAT OF ONE CHAIR FOR LIMITED PROJECTION OUTWARDLY BENEATH THE CONTIGUOUS SIDE EDGE OF AN ADJACENT CHAIR, A KEEPER MEANS HAVING A LOWER BAR PORTION ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED BENEATH THE CONTIGUOUS SIDE EDGE OF SAID ADJACENT CHAIR SEAT AND ARRANGED FOR RECEPTION OF THE OUTWARDLY PROJECTING END PORTION OF SAID LATCH BAR WITH SAID KEEPER LOWER BAR PORTION ARRANGED BENEATH SAID LATCH BAR OUTER END PORTION, AND A SINGLE SPRING LATCH CARRIED BY THE OUTER END PORTION OF SAID LATCH BAR ARRANGED TO LATCHINGLY ENGAGE THE LATCH BAR WITH SAID KEEPER LOWER BAR PORTION ON SAID ADJACENT CHAIR WHEN SAID LATCH BAR OUTER END IS PROJECTED FROM BENEATH SAID ONE CHAIR AND TO LATCHINGLY ANCHOR SAID LATCH BAR BENEATH THE SEAT OF SAID ONE CHAIR WHEN SAID LATCH BAR OUTER END IS RETRACTED BENEATH THE SEAT OF SAID ONE CHAIR, SAID LATCH BAR BEING FORMED WITH A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING STOP MEANS ON ITS INNER END PORTION TO LIMIT THE OUTWARD PROJECTION OF THE LATCH BAR WHILE PERMITTING SLIDABLE ADJUSTMENT OF THE LATCH BAR RELATIVE TO SAID ONE CHAIR SEAT TO PERMIT VARIATION IN THE SPACING OF THE ADJACENT CHAIRS, SAID SPRING LATCH HAVING A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED APART, DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING KEEPER ENGAGING FORMATIONS AT THE OUTER END OF SAID LATCH BAR TO LIMIT RELATIVE SLIDING MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE LATCH BAR OUTER END AND THE KEEPER BAR PORTION ENGAGED THEREWITH. 